Shimla: It was literally a cliffhanger for a doctor team of Dr Amit Gupta from Rishikesh and his navigator Dr Tarun Sharma when their SUV almost went off a sheer cliff on a climb from Kaza to Komic, in Spiti valley of Himachal earlier today.
Marshals trailing the country motocross rallyists, reached on time to pull back the vehicle, from what could have turned into a nasty accident.
Racing through the competitive section, a wheel of the SUV that Amit was driving in the X-treme category, came off, said the spokesperson for the organizers. The vehicle skid and veered dangerously into the sharp cut valley below, hanging precariously on the cliff.
“On the racing vehicle not turning up at the next check point, a fast intervention marshal search team set out and reached the breakdown spot within minutes and pulled the SUV back to safety,” said Vijay Parmar, president Himalayan Motorsport Association, the organizing club.
The Himalayan Raid conducted in two categories: Xtreme and Adventure, while the former is all-out speed, the latter tests the drivers on a time-speed-distance format.
The days results were still being complied for the Kaza to Kaza loop that the Raid covered in the highlands of Spiti with its millennium old monasteries.
From Kaza, the Raid after retracing its route back to Gramphoo, over the next three days heads up north Lahaul valley to cross over to Ladhak territory to end the rally at Leh on October 12.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
Close Call! Thank god no mishap